Bedridden After Surgery, My Girlfriend's Trip Makes Me Question Our Future Marriage (28M)

Ans:

Dear GP,

A healthy relationship is one where both individuals help each other grow and thrive.

Pointing out the other’s inadequacies can be detrimental to their emotional health.

You keep walking on egg shells around her and have started to keep things away from her for fear of her rebuke and complaints.

How is this healthy when you can’t share your thoughts with your partner? This will become a habit and not a very good one for sure.

Also, age does not define whether one can boss around or not.

She certainly maybe right in most cases, but there is a way to convey the same thing to you.

Love and calmness in communication can actually transform everything and everyone provided the intent is there.

Marriage under these circumstances can be stressful for you.

So I do suggest that the two of you have an honest talk and when she knows how you feel and how keeping things away from her has become your coping mechanism, I do feel she might be able to see the situation in a new light.

Also, things that you might have misinterpreted about her may also surface.

So, please have that necessary talk without wasting anymore time. It will give you good perspectives to work from.

All the best!

Ans:

Dear MB,

Time to bring in that wise conversation, that will be open, vocal and honest.

Tell her how you feel; wait for her to respond without judging or demanding.

Also, ask yourself if you are being possessive and jealous and if your imagination is leading you to be insecure!

Whatever it is, do sit down and have that frank discussion with her before you decide one way or the other. Communication does solve a lot of things; so please use it wisely.

All the best!

Ans: Dear Srujan,

Your intentions might not be tainted but put yourself in your girlfriend's shoes, and don't think from your perspective. Think of hers. You might have been okay if the roles were reversed, but can't say the same for most people. Jealousy is a green-eyed monster, but for some instances, it is justified; not right, but understandable. You proposing to another girl might have been a joke for you, but it hurt your GF. The only thing you can do here is to explain the situation and apologize for making her feel this way, even though it wasn't your intention.

For your second issue, I'd say it was good thinking on your part not to get too involved and yet be there for your girlfriend and stop her friends from resorting to violence. If that has insulted your partner, you can try clarifying your intent, and if she still does not want to pay heed to your side of the story, you don't owe her any more explanation for this particular issue.

If you don't have trust and understanding in your relationship, it's a losing battle, no matter how much you both try to hold on to it. An honest and level-headed discussion is the only thing that can save your relationship at this point.

Best wishes!

Ans: Dear Anonymous,
How is this disrespect to you according to you? She has clearly told you that she is doing it so that the other person will maintain a boundary...What are you worrying so much about?
Of course, what she could have done is spoken with you about it before telling him all this. Maybe if you knew about it, you would not worry if this disrespect...
Calm down and in fact tell your wife that if she feels unsafe with that person, avoiding him altogether is better instead of spinning stories...

All the best!
Anu Krishna
Mind Coach|NLP Trainer|Author
Drop in: www.unfear.io
Reach me: Facebook: anukrish07/ AND LinkedIn: anukrishna-joyofserving/

Ans: Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on what’s really happening here—not just on the surface, but beneath it, where emotions and meanings intertwine. This isn’t simply about a wedding, an invitation, or even an ex. It’s about two people, you and your wife, navigating a new relationship, trying to understand each other’s worlds while also protecting your own.

A Curious Question
What if we looked at this situation differently? Instead of asking, Who’s right and who’s wrong? we ask, What does this moment teach us about trust, boundaries, and connection? You see, people often focus on the conflict, but conflicts are just doorways. Behind that door lies something far more valuable—a chance to grow together.

Your Perspective
You’ve drawn a line, and there’s a reason for that. Maybe it’s not about the wedding itself but what it symbolizes. Perhaps it stirs questions in you: Does this mean she values the past more than our present? Or maybe it touches a part of you that wonders, Am I enough? Will she choose me fully, without hesitation?

These are important questions. Not because they point to a problem, but because they show you care deeply about this relationship. You want to feel secure, and that’s not unreasonable.

Her Perspective
Now, imagine her world for a moment. To her, this invitation may not be about her ex at all. It may represent closure, a way of proving to herself—and to you—that the past has no hold on her. When you said no, perhaps she didn’t hear your concern but instead felt her integrity questioned. People often respond to what they feel is happening, not what is said.

A Different Kind of Conversation
What if, instead of focusing on “permission” or the wedding itself, you shared your feelings in a way that invites her to understand you? You might say, “When I think about you going, I feel uncomfortable. Not because I don’t trust you, but because I care so deeply about us, and this stirs something in me that I want to understand better. Can we talk about this together?”

Notice how that changes the dynamic? It shifts from conflict to curiosity, from control to connection. When you share your vulnerability, you invite hers.

The Path Forward
Here’s something worth trying:

Invite Understanding: Begin by asking her what attending the wedding means to her. Not as a challenge, but with genuine curiosity. People often reveal surprising truths when they feel safe.

Share Your Truth: Let her know this isn’t about her ex, but about your own feelings and the meaning you place on her decision. For example, “I want to feel like we’re prioritizing our relationship in every choice we make. How do you see this fitting into that?”

Find the Balance: The goal isn’t to force a decision but to discover what feels right for both of you. Maybe there’s a middle ground where you both feel respected. Or maybe, through this conversation, you’ll find clarity on what truly matters.

Focus on Connection: This isn’t about a single event; it’s about building a foundation. Every conversation, every decision, is a brick in the home you’re building together. Make sure the bricks are laid with care and mutual respect.

The Bigger Picture
What matters most isn’t whether she attends the wedding. It’s whether, in navigating this, you both feel closer, more understood, and more aligned. That’s the real success—turning a moment of tension into a story of growth.

When you approach this not as a problem to solve but as an opportunity to deepen your relationship, you may discover that the answers come naturally. Because people don’t just need to be “right”; they need to feel loved, valued, and understood. And that’s something both of you can give to each other, starting now.